This invention relates to impact door beams for reinforcing the doors of automobiles. These impact beams extend horizontally inside the door to help protect the occupants in the event of a broadside collision.
Impact door beams presently are made of steel tubular members having the ends thereof attached to brackets sometimes called extensions which are secured to door panels inside the door. Such tubular members are largely of two types, one being a tube cut off at both ends, and the other being a tube which is press formed at one end. The tubes are typically cut off with an abrasive wheel or a cutting torch. Such techniques are relatively slow and also leave burrs, slag, rough edges, and related undesirable conditions. Moreover, the tubular ends of the beams are sometimes difficult to fit smoothly into streamlined curved automobile doors. It would be desirable to shape the ends of the tubular beam to allow greater design freedom for the door, yet without requiring pressure forming techniques.